Problems with ASI071 - Ice ?

christian-uae

Hello,

I do have an ASI for some weeks.

Yesterday the following occurred:

When cooled down, streaks and smears starts to appear if the camera sensor temperature drop[ed to minus degrees. The smears are not random but have always the same patterns...seems like wiping smears ??

When switching off the cooler and the sensor reaches again positive Celsius temperatures, the streaks vanished. Cooling down-they start again.

This occurs whether the window dew heater is switched on or off-but I recognized there is a dew on the window from the inside.

Please not that is is not somewhere lese in the imaging train as I cleaned/changes all but I have NOT opened the camera.

Please see attached picture, unstretched and stretched.

What can I do ?

Regards

Christian

christian-uae

Hi,

another "problem"

Please have a look at the attached. What is this rectangular shape ?

Made at 2 degrees.

When stretching more, all areas outside this shape become much overexposed and can not worked further with.

My scope is a William GT81, but I am sure its not the scope but the camera.

never had this before.

bergastro

Hi,

due to bad weather conditions I used my new ASI071 only four or five times. But at the last night I also found dew or ice on the sensor at the beginning of the session. After 90min the sensor cleared again!

Is it true, that I have to use the extra desicant tablets after only two months of operation?

What will come next?

Will I hav to change the tablets six times a year? Then I will need an extra delivery of 20 or 30 tablets...

ndb

Hello,

dew (perhaps frost) may form on the large protection window UNLESS you check "anti dew".

The ASCOM V2 driver displays the feature.

The last version of Sharpcap with last version of driver does not, I don't know if the anti dew feature in ON by default though hidden. It's been replaced - curiously - by the not very usefull "FAN ON/OFF" feature.

Just set anti dew ON with ASCOM and all will be fine.

Nicolas

bergastro

But in my case dew or ice forms on the sensor not on the protection window.

Sam@ZWO

this is because the sensor is not very clean and there is some glue

these glue freeze when temperature is very low

so clean the sensor is the solution

I will try to tell you how to clean it in email

you may have to send it back to us for cleaning if you cannot do it by yourself

bergastro

You got a pm!

Next quastion: how can I turn on the heating for the protection window? The ASCOM driver shows no switch.

Or is it switched on by default?

bergastro

ok, got it! This little checkbox was overseen by me.

helgemk

Hi,

I seem to have the same issue as posted by Christian on 4th March 2017, with artefacts that look like smears from wiping. Seem to occur specially when going lower than -5 degrees Celsius.

I have also read in this thread that there is a fix, i.e. cleansing the sensor - can someone kindly share with me how to do?

Many thanks,

Helge

Support@ZWO

HelgeMK wrote:
Hi,

I seem to have the same issue as posted by Christian on 4th March 2017, with artefacts that look like smears from wiping. Seem to occur specially when going lower than -5 degrees Celsius.

I have also read in this thread that there is a fix, i.e. cleansing the sensor - can someone kindly share with me how to do?

Many thanks,

Helge

Hi Helge

Here is the manual:

https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/manuals/How%20to%20clean%20ASI%20camera%20and%20redry%20the%20desiccant.pdf